Police in Rutherglen have announced increased new measures to reassure worried parents that they are committed to tackling the ongoing problem of antisocial behaviour.
For several weeks now, residents in Burnside and other areas of Rutherglen, have taken to social media to warn about incidents of youth violence.
Concerned parents were calling for a meeting with community police as they felt not enough was being done to tackle the increasing problem.
Now local cops will deploy officers on motorbikes and from the mounted division in an effort to tackle the problem.
Inspector Kevin Mille told Lanarkshire Live : “There has been an increase in youth disorder in the Burnside and Stonelaw Woods area over the past two months, resulting in two youths being seriously assaulted.
“In response, we have a dedicated policing plan in place with officers undertaking high visibility patrols and engaging with local youths.
“The recent incidents have resulted in arrests with detections for all four crimes committed in the last two months."
Inspector Mille told us how the offenders were all aged under 16-years-old, with a 15-year-old boy arrested and charged in relation to a serious assault at Stonelaw Woods on May 1.
Shockingly, a 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged following a serious assault in Stonelaw Road on June 3 - a second 13-year- old was charged with a breach of the peace and possession of an offensive weapon for an incident on June 11.
Inspector Mille added: “Three further youths were also charged in relation to an assault in the Burnside area on Friday, June 3.
“Youth disorder remains a local policing priority and is an ongoing piece of work between partners in social work, education, criminal justice, youth workers, the local authority and elected members in an effort to reduce anti-social behaviour.
“Given the age of the offenders involved the Local Policing Team and school-based officers have been working with partners on a preventative approach having arranged joint police/fire school inputs covering anti-social behaviour, knife crime and firerasing along with an appeal for information regarding weapon carriers within the schools.”
Rutherglen South councillor, Robert Brown, moved to reassure concerned parents and members of the public that sorting the violence in the community was a priority.
He told us : “The police have been doing a lot.
"There have been several arrests for incidents and they have been using extra resources.
“It is a worrying thing for parents when these things happen. I am very sympathetic to the parents involved.
"I’m hoping people will be a little more reassured that the police are very much aware of it and they know who is involved in it - it’s their priority to put an end to it and to stop the individuals.”
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